The former chief executive of Thomas Cook has told the parents of two children who died of carbon monoxide poisoning while on a holiday booked through the tour operator he “deeply regrets the incident.”

Manny Fontenla-Nova was giving evidence at the inquest into the deaths of Bobby and Christi Shepherd.

The children were poisoned when fumes from a faulty boiler leaked into the bungalow they were staying in during a half-term holiday in Corfu in October 2006 with their dad Neil and his then partner, now wife, Ruth.

Bobby and Christi were found dead in the chalet by a chamber maid and Neil and Ruth had both fallen into a coma.

But Mr Fontenla-Nova then declined to answer a single question put to him by Mr Thomas on behalf of the family.

Mr Thomas said to him: “How does it make you feel that your customers who have paid good money for your services have had to wait eight-and-a-half years to get answers how their children were lost and you are saying I decline to answer. Does that make you feel good?”